PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION
Tier 4 (General) Student Visas
TIER 4 (GENERAL) STUDENT VISAS
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If you want to study in the UK at higher education level, you’ll need to apply for a Tier 4 (General) student visa.
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You can apply for Tier 4 (General) student visa not earlier than 3 months of your course start date and once you have unconditional offer acceptance and received CAS from your University. Visa processing generally takes 3 to 4 weeks’ time, so it is recommended to apply your visa as soon as possible.
Find out more about Tier 4 (General) student visas .
Short term study visas are also available to students who want to join courses that are up to six months long or English language courses up to 11 months long.
Find out more about short-term study visas
Arrival in the UK
ARRIVAL IN THE UK
You can arrive in the UK before your course starts-
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up to 1 week before, if your course lasts 6 months or less;
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up to 1 month before, if your course lasts more than 6 months
Permitted Length of Stay
LENGTH OF STAY PERMITTED
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Your total time stay on Tier 4 student visa depends on the duration of your course and what study you have already completed.
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Duration of the course plus 4 months after the course end date if the course is for 12 months or more;
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Duration of the course plus 2 months after the course end date if the course is for 6 months or more but less than 12 months;
Duration off the course plus 7 days after the course end date if the course is for less than 6 months
Things to Bring
THINGS TO BRING
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A general list of things that you should bring to the UK are as follows:
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Clothes for cold weather, waterproof jackets (as it rains quite often).
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Household items like towels, a few toiletries, etc.
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Toiletries and personal items, small first aid kit, small sewing kit, etc.
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Kitchen supplies like bowls, plate, spoons, cookers, frying pans, etc and raw materials and masalas (if you are planning to cook). You may consider bringing some ready to eat packet meals for the initial few days.
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Electronic devices like laptop, cell phone, UK socket adapters, chargers, power banks, etc.
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Other accessories like watches, eyeglasses, sunglasses.
If you wear glasses or lenses, consider bringing an extra pair or two as these are very expensive in the UK.
It is advisable to use the airline's baggage allowance wisely and not pay heavily for extra baggage as most of the things like good quality clothes, jackets suited for the UK weather, toiletries are available in the UK at prices comparable to that in India.
All Indian food items (both raw and ready to eat) are mostly available in all major cities and towns across the UK.